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Russell Westbrook scored a season-high 45 points and had 10 assists, and the Houston Rockets overcame another tough night from James Harden to rally past the Minnesota Timberwolves 131-124 on Friday night.
Undermanned and playing for the second consecutive night, the Houston Rockets still had plenty of reason to be confident.
A stingy defensive effort by Minnesota helped erase a 14-point halftime deficit, and the Timberwolves beat the Rockets 103-91 on Monday night. Minnesota shut things down after the break, holding the Rockets to 29 points in the second half.
Without their star point guard, Chris Paul, the Rockets couldn't push through a cold streak that left them trailing the Warriors in game 7.
The Rockets, playing a dominant Warriors team in maybe the NBA's most hostile environment, evened the series at two games each.
The two biggest moves of the 2017 NBA offseason helped set the stage for this year's Eastern and Western Conference Finals match-ups.
The three most important Rockets -- James Harden, Chris Paul, and Mike D'Antoni -- need to prove they're more than playoff poseurs.
Chris Paul's jaw-dropping display of basketball genius Tuesday night helped put the Rockets in the Conference Finals. But he's not done.
Analyst Charles Barkley was highly critical of the Timberwolves after their Game 1 loss to the Rockets Sunday night.
This is the second time these teams have met in the playoffs.
The schedule is set for the first round of the NBA Playoffs as the Minnesota Timberwolves will take on the Houston Rockets.
The race for this year's MVP Award will be close, but with the level that the Houston Rockets have been playing at all season, it would be shocking if James Harden was not the recipient of the 2017-18 Maurice Podoloff Trophy.
The Minnesota Timberwolves may have lost Sunday evening, but Target Center was graced by the appearance of champions nonetheless.
The Rockets have a 15-game win streak and a slim lead over the Warriors in the Western Conference. But what will happen come playoff time?
LeBron James and his retooled Cavs still can't compete with the Warriors or Rockets. And an offseason move to the Lakers won't change that.
With free agency almost 20 days in, we take a look at some of the best bargain deals of the NBA offseason.
With the dust finally settling on free agency, we take a look at the biggest moves around the NBA this offseason.
The NBA Playoffs' second round tipped off Sunday. With the Cavs, Celtics, Spurs and Warriors still alive, what's been revealed so far?
The 2017 NBA Playoff teams are set in the Western Conference. Here's a look at the teams that will tip off out west this weekend.
With the NBA season more than half over, Western Conference teams prepare for the playoffs or the draft.
NBA teams always have room for improvement. Here are 2017 New Year's resolutions for the Western Conference.
The NBA saw more than its fair share of surprises in 2016. What will happen in 2017?
James Harden had 27 points and 11 assists and the Houston Rockets got their season-high fifth straight win, 107-104 over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night.
Six months ago, Kevin McHale coached the Houston Rockets to the Western Conference finals for the first time in 18 years. There are high expectations for the team again this season behind James Harden and Dwight Howard, but McHale won't be around to see where the Rockets end up: Houston fired McHale on Wednesday with the team off to a puzzling 4-7 start.
Jim Petersen grew up in St. Louis Park, and grew into a 6-foot-11-inch frame. Basketball was an obvious calling, and it still is because he loves this game -- and the game seems to love him back.
"Now that we have technologies and advancements and safe sex practices, this policy is really questionable nowadays," said medical student Christopher Johns.
A Twin Cities suburb has been dealing with a pair of broken water mains this week.
Mental health is the primary health care concern of many veterans facing homelessness.
Minnesota's staggering $17 billion surplus has some wondering - will the governor's proposal of rebate checks still be on the table?
Is the Twin Cities' largest hotel on your Christmas wish list? It can be, if you have the cash.
A Twin Cities suburb has been dealing with a pair of broken water mains this week.
Is the Twin Cities' largest hotel on your Christmas wish list? It can be, if you have the cash.
Alfredo Solis was found guilty of assault and acquitted of all other counts - including second-degree murder - in the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Jahmari Rice outside of a Richfield school in February.
This year marks the biggest demand they've had for people who need these presents, according the the president of Granny's Closet, which runs a year-round program for seniors in need.
Officials have lifted a boil water advisory prompted by a water main break in north Minneapolis that occurred Monday night.
A 42-year-old man is accused of bringing a knife into Forest Lake High School on Tuesday morning.
Four of those crashes resulted in injury, though none were fatal. Additionally, 24 vehicles spun out and there was one jackknifed semi.
New technology for a southwestern Minnesota county is helping put those on the run from law enforcement behind bars.
A Minnesota company has announced plans to build a $400 million soybean crushing plant north of Grand Forks.
The trial for a man accused of shooting someone near a hospital in Mankato, causing it to go into lockdown, started Tuesday.
A western Wisconsin man is in custody Saturday after police say he drove drunk.
A conservative prosecutor is asking a judge to toss out Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul's lawsuit challenging Wisconsin's 173-year-old ban on abortions.
A woman charged in a Wisconsin murder plans to argue that she is not guilty because she was a coerced victim of human trafficking.
A federal judge has ordered energy company Enbridge Inc. and an American Indian tribe to come up with an emergency plan to prevent potential spills from an aging oil pipeline running across the tribe's reservation.
A 10-year-old Milwaukee, Wisconsin boy intentionally aimed a gun at his mother, then shot and killed her, because she would not buy him a virtual reality headset, prosecutors said.
Minnesota's staggering $17 billion surplus has some wondering - will the governor's proposal of rebate checks still be on the table?
Minnesota's staggering $17 billion surplus has some wondering - will the governor's proposal of rebate checks still be on the table?
The case Moore v. Harper stems from North Carolina Republicans' redrawing of the state's congressional map after the 2020 Census.
Democrats will now have 51 seats in the U.S. Senate.
The justices will test the "independent state legislature theory" in a case that could have far-reaching consequences for elections.
Is the Twin Cities' largest hotel on your Christmas wish list? It can be, if you have the cash.
As families complete their holiday shopping, financial planners and tax advisors are urging folks to start budgeting for a potential "refund shock" or "refund whiplash."
The survey compared more than 180 U.S. cities to make the overall list, considering factors like the share of population that's single, the number of online-dating opportunities and the average price of a meal for two.
It's called "refund shock," and many taxpayers can expect to see it when they file their 2022 tax returns.
Meet Jude Bricker, Sun Country's CEO -- which could stand for "Chief Enthusiasm Officer."
Alfredo Solis was found guilty of assault and acquitted of all other counts - including second-degree murder - in the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Jahmari Rice outside of a Richfield school in February.
A 42-year-old man is accused of bringing a knife into Forest Lake High School on Tuesday morning.
"They keep talking about transparency," the victim's cousin Rea Smith said. "Why does it keep taking so long for the body camera footage to be released to the family? If their truth is the truth, then let it be seen. Why are you hiding it?"
Last Thursday, officers were called to the same apartment on the 1100 block of 3rd Avenue Southeast in the Slatterly Park neighborhood.
A chocolate shop in Excelsior plans to reopen Friday after burglars ruined its entire inventory in late November.
"Now that we have technologies and advancements and safe sex practices, this policy is really questionable nowadays," said medical student Christopher Johns.
Minnesota nurses have reached tentative agreements with nearly all hospitals to avert a planned strike later this month.
Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm is retiring next month after decades of public service, including the past few years helping to steer the state through a global pandemic.
A University of Minnesota med student is getting a special award for mentoring young people.
A Fargo teen is recovering at Children's Minnesota in Minneapolis after doctors successfully gave him a new heart.
The mega-popular musical "Hamilton" will be returning to Minneapolis in April.
It seems the Chili Peppers can't stop and are addicted to the shindig, because they announced a 2023 global tour on Monday, with a stop at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on April 8.
The Ordway in St. Paul is back with the first musical it has produced since 2019.
Every 10 years, the British film magazine Sight & Sound invites critics to submit lists of their top 10 movies of all time. These are the results of their poll for 2022.
Infobip's survey shows that SMS texting is here to stay in the U.S.
The Vikings will soon get some much-needed help in the secondary.
Time to break out your away jerseys, Minnesota Vikings fans.
A miracle finish to win a Minnesota state football title has now caught the attention of two sports greats.
"Every time she hits the ice you know that something exciting is going to happen. Her hockey IQ is off the charts. You can tell that through the way that she sees the ice. Her vision is like nothing that I've ever seen," said head coach Tracy Cassano.
The Gopher football team will hope to avoid getting lost in New York when they play Syracuse in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium at the end of December.
The election results were a disappointment for Minnesota Republicans, after they failed to capture any of the statewide races and they lost control of the Minnesota Senate.
The election results were a disappointment for Minnesota Republicans after they failed to capture any of the statewide races and they lost control of the state Senate.
Perhaps the biggest election surprise in Minnesota was the win by Democrats of both houses of the legislature. Esme Murphy takes a look at the rare “trifecta,” and what it means for issues like legalized marijuana and the budget surplus.
Gov. Tim Walz on the campaign trail reminded voters he wanted to use the surplus for Walz checks, giving up to $1,000 to most individuals and $2,000 dollars to couples, but not all Democrats are on board.
There were Republican bright spots, but this was an election where the Democrats shocked even themselves with an apparent sweep of state constitutional offices.
When it comes to starting your own business, sometimes you have to take a leap of faith. That's what two business partners did in Perham. In this week's Finding Minnesota, John Lauritsen shows us how they transformed a beloved church into a beloved restaurant.
"It was a central point to bring people together, and it still can be that today," said Ron Manzow.
It's a hidden gem that's not so hidden anymore, even if no one is exactly sure why it was put here in the first place.
Maple Grove's Hindu temple draws people from across the Midwest. Some drive several hours through several states just to worship there.
In this week's Finding Minnesota, John Lauritsen got a tour of one of the last remaining lutefisk-processing plants in the country during their "busiest" time of year.
Documents signed more than a century ago shaped Minnesota as we know it, and changed the lives of those who first called this land home.
Commutes with caution have been plentiful over the past few weeks. It's a standard, but stressful experience this time of year, partly because the painted stripes that guide drivers disappear in the snow.
This holiday season, one million pieces of checked luggage will come through Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
MnDOT has about 100 plow crashes a year.
Family gatherings can bring joy this time of year. But they can also carry a lot of stress, pressure and awkward moments.
Every 10 years, the British film magazine Sight & Sound invites critics to submit lists of their top 10 movies of all time. These are the results of their poll for 2022.
We want to share the joy of the holidays with all of our viewers by sharing your festive displays. Here are some of your best and brightest holiday displays!
Which movie was tops when you had your big premiere?
Immediately upon the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, her eldest son, Prince Charles, became the new king. Here is a look at who else is in line.
These books have been banned at schools and libraries. Why?
The Twin Cities is in for a quiet Thursday, but another snowmaker is headed our way.
Some icy patches for the roads on Thursday morning, and some flurries could move through on Friday.
Thursday will be quiet, but another snowmaker is on the way.
"The elderly and the really young," said CentraCare sports medicine physician Dr. George Morris. "Those are the two populations that I would worry about most."
In Minnesota, weather can be all over the place. Here at WCCO, we want to give you what you need to prepare for what's happening next.
The Twin Cities is in for a quiet Thursday, but another snowmaker is headed our way.
Minnesota's staggering $17 billion surplus has some wondering - will the governor's proposal of rebate checks still be on the table?
Mental health is the primary health care concern of many veterans facing homelessness. Navigating healthcare is difficult for all of us. Two heroes shared their vulnerabilities with Reg Chapman.
Is the Twin Cities' largest hotel on your Christmas wish list? It can be, if you have the cash.
Some icy patches for the roads on Thursday morning, and some flurries could move through on Friday.